Banking

The banking sector has played a key role in financing reconstruction in Côte d’Ivoire since the end of the decade-long political and military crisis in 2011. With headline economic growth expected to hover around a robust 7% per annum over the next five years, Côte d’Ivoire’s banking sector is likely to remain attractive, with more banks attempting to penetrate the market. However, the progressive implementation from January 2018 of international prudential standards means that banks will have to boost their capital if they want to maintain their level of lending. This in turn is expected to drive consolidation in the sector in the medium term. It is hoped this will have the added benefit of improving banks’ risk management. This chapter contains interviews with Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, Governor, Central Bank of West African States; and Aymeric Villebrun, CEO, Société Générale de Banques en Côte d’Ivoire.